Matthew 26:53

Matthew 26:53

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 

a. NASB 1995: “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve [fn]legions of angels?  [NASB95 New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. YLT: dost thou think that I am not able now to call upon my Father, and He will place beside me more than twelve legions of messengers?  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Do you suppose that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will immediately provide Me with more than twelve legions [more than 80,000] of angels?  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: Or do you think that I cannot ask of my Father, and he will now raise up for me more than twelve legions of angels?  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. ESV: Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

1. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?”

a. Thinkest [thou] [Strong: 1380 dokéō, dok-eh'-o; a prolonged form of a primary verb, δόκω dókō dok'-o (used only in an alternate in certain tenses; compare the base of G1166) of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem (truthfully or uncertainly):—be accounted, (of own) please(-ure), be of reputation, seem (good), suppose, think, trow.]

b. that [Strong: 3754 hóti, hot'-ee; neuter of G3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:—as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

c. [I] can [Strong: 1410 dýnamai, doo'-nam-ahee; of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible:—be able, can (do, + -not), could, may, might, be possible, be of power.]

d. not [Strong: 3756 ou, oo; a primary word; the absolute negative (compare G3361) adverb; no or not:—+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

e. now [Strong: 737 árti, ar'-tee; adverb from a derivative of G142 (compare G740) through the idea of suspension; just now:—this day (hour), hence(-forth), here(-after), hither(-to), (even) now, (this) present.]

f. pray [Strong: 3870 parakaléō, par-ak-al-eh'-o; from G3844 and G2564; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation):—beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), intreat, pray.]

g. [to] my [Strong: 3450 moû, moo; the simpler form of G1700; of me:—I, me, mine (own), my.]

h. [Strong: 3588. [ton] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ton] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

i. Father [Strong: 3962 patḗr, pat-ayr'; apparently a primary word; a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote):—father, parent.]

j. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

k. [he shall presently] give [Strong: 3956 parístēmi, par-is'-tay-mee; from G3844 and G2476; to stand beside, i.e. (transitively) to exhibit, proffer, (specially), recommend, (figuratively) substantiate; or (intransitively) to be at hand (or ready), aid:—assist, bring before, command, commend, give presently, present, prove, provide, shew, stand (before, by, here, up, with), yield.]

l. me [Strong: 3427 moí, moy; the simpler form of G1698; to me:—I, me, mine, my.]

m. more [Strong: 4119 pleíōn, pli-own; comparative of G4183; more in quantity, number, or quality; also (in plural) the major portion:—X above, + exceed, more excellent, further, (very) great(-er), long(-er), (very) many, greater (more) part, + yet but.]

n. than [Strong: 2228 ḗ, ay; a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than:—and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea.]

o. twelve [Strong: 1427 dṓdeka, do'-dek-ah; from G1417 and G1176; two and ten, i.e. a dozen:—twelve.]

p. legions [Strong: 3003 legeṓn, leg-eh-ohn'; of Latin origin; a "legion", i.e. Roman regiment (figuratively):—legion.]

q. [of] angels [Strong: 32 ággelos, ang'-el-os; from ἀγγέλλω aggéllō (probably derived from G71; compare G34) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor:—angel, messenger.]

1). Institute of Creation Research Days of Praise, 1/12/2024: In 1 Chronicles 27:1-15, David assembled 12 “courses” (i.e., legions) of fighting men to protect him. Each would serve him one month out of the year when the nation was at peace, but presumably all would have reported for duty in time of war. Since each contained 24,000 warriors, they combined to form an immense personal army numbering 288,000. By contrast, Christ, David’s greater Son, had at His command “more than twelve legions of angels.” These were not mere soldiers, as those guarding David were; these were angels. Consider the power of just one angel in the days of King Hezekiah. “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses” (2 Kings 19:35). Simple multiplication shows that 288,000 such angels could handle 53 billion soldiers. And Christ had access to more angels than that! Humanly speaking, Christ did not have to submit to brutality and death. But Christ was not only human; He was also the offended but loving God who had come to redeem His own. “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8) had “come to do thy will, O God....By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:9-10). “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). “All this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled” (Matthew 26:56). JDM